BTCC Rounds 22-24 Snetterton

[EastonNeston]

There isn’t any “anti-sutton’ sentiment, but some here are able to appreciate, and even prefer to watch drivers who act professionally and drive quickly and cleanly on track.

It is good to see drivers & teams succeed because of ability and hard work, not from driving tactics more suited to Arena Essex and similar venues.

[S griffin]

After a nightmare by his standards at Croft, Colin really nailed it this weekend. Two wins and more importantly outscoring all his main rivals in all three races was just what he needed to do. However Sutton collected enough points to keep him within reaching distance.

Cammish and Tingram did well to keep their hopes alive. It’s not great, but if they just go for it at Brands, who knows? We all remember 2013 when AJ looked set to win the title in R2, then had that incident kept it still alive for R3. Just a shame Butcher is out of it

[S griffin]

Great win by OJ, he really has come on strong this season

[mprmke]

There was nothing in the Smiley/Turkington and I can remember clearly Smiley making life very difficult for Turkington in one race towards the end of last season. Sutton has a tendency to talk quite strongly after a race, but calm down after the dust has settled.

I can’t see there being any kind of further action taken against Butcher or Sutton as they didn’t do anything wrong really. There won’t be any further action taken against Cammish because he drives a black and orange Honda.

The reality is that Turkington and Sutton are on a different level to anyone else on the grid. Take away all the performance-equalising measures in the BTCC and they would be untouchable. The differing styles are fascinating. Turkington is very measured, very clean, immaculately tidy, but knows when he has to go out all guns blazing. Sutton has his car set up on the ragged edge, partially because he’s never had a properly decent car in the BTCC and he needs to be on the limit and beyond at all times and partially because that’s just his style. He is very hot headed at times and showed that more at Croft. He managed to keep a lid on it a bit more this weekend as he surely recognised the importance of banking points and staying within touching distance. He is very similar to Plato as his racing instincts clearly push him to take more risks to win races than play the more patient game most of the time.

I also think Jake Hill is a star and would love to see him get the backing to get a drive in a decent car at some point. He’s always had to work miracles in absolute dogs of cars. The FK2 was a front-running car, but it’s had it’s day now and for him to achieve some great results in that godawful Audi was a minor miracle.

Anything can happen at Brands Hatch, but I’d have Sutton as the favourite to win as things stand.

[Evantra]

Butcher given a strike for the contact with Ingram.

https://t.co/UDU6XmuuzF

[Jay87]

Originally Posted by Evantra

Pleased for Jackson, didn't expect him to win again so quickly, especially after finishing race 1 outside the top 20!

Rivett was a bit underwhelming, hopefully the Audis back on the pace with Thompson at Brands.

Not sure what's going on with Chilton, you certainly wouldn't expect Crees to outpace him. Can't see him staying at BTC next year.

Turbo issue apparently but yeah I agree all he seems to have done all season is defend. Car seems to be a bit of a dog

[S griffin]

It was good to see Crees getting some good points after two race meetings of nothing, but bad luck. Also shame what happened to Moffat, but at least he got points in R3

[Matt K]

I'm more and more disappointed by Sam Osborne. He's kinda nowhere this season, be that issues, incidents, lack of pace, whatever, but after first weekend of the season I hoped for much more from him.

[porsche962fan]

and it's amaizing that now Olie Jackson is firmly on the pace, Butcher was from the beginning, meanwhile Neate in same car hangs around at the bang , speakes volumes

meawhile congrats to Jess HAWKINS , she actually outscored Jade Edwards in Jack Sears Trophy, poor Bobby Thomson but he still has chances to clinch it

[Evantra]

Originally Posted by Jay87

Turbo issue apparently but yeah I agree all he seems to have done all season is defend. Car seems to be a bit of a dog

Shame, seems to be a new issue every week. BTC I think have to be the biggest disappointment this year, was really hoping Cook would in be the running again, but yeah don't seem to have the pace in the car this year (Croft aside, didn't realise he has 3 wins actually.)

[Evantra]

Originally Posted by porsche962fan

poor Booby Thomson

Hope they don't spell it like that on the trophy!

[porsche962fan]

fixed it

[Evantra]

Originally Posted by Matt K

I'm more and more disappointed by Sam Osborne. He's kinda nowhere this season, be that issues, incidents, lack of pace, whatever, but after first weekend of the season I hoped for much more from him.

Yeah, he was never that brilliant in Clio Cup, but after race 1 thought he might have a decent year. Would love to see 'Booby Thomson' in the Civic next year (or whatever AmD are running) but I assume Osborne brings a lot of money with the Wera / Tool Maniac sponsorship.

[porsche962fan]

and poor Jack Goff, a few seasons ago title contender in the Civic and now wonders at the back with the likes of Neate, Rob Austin in his one off gathered more points than him

[Jay87]

Originally Posted by Evantra

Shame, seems to be a new issue every week. BTC I think have to be the biggest disappointment this year, was really hoping Cook would in be the running again, but yeah don't seem to have the pace in the car this year (Croft aside, didn't realise he has 3 wins actually.)

Btc have definitely been a massive disappointment, cook has shown occasional pace with no weight in it but apart from that they are nowhere near. Let down by reliability a lot as well which is a shame because I rate both cook and Chilton and they could have both had a shot this year with a better car

[Jay87]

Originally Posted by Matt K

I'm more and more disappointed by Sam Osborne. He's kinda nowhere this season, be that issues, incidents, lack of pace, whatever, but after first weekend of the season I hoped for much more from him.

Yeah he is miles from hill's pace but only in his second season and can't judge him on the first one as the mg was miles off the pace

[S griffin]

Osbourne has gone off the boil after a great opening weekend at Donny. Still at least his team mate Hill has continued to be on great form now they've got their mechanical issues sorted out. Was maybe a bit too nice in letting Tingram back through in R1 for what was a fair move, but at least he says he won't do that again

[Nononsensecapeesh]

Originally Posted by Jay87

Btc have definitely been a massive disappointment, cook has shown occasional pace with no weight in it but apart from that they are nowhere near. Let down by reliability a lot as well which is a shame because I rate both cook and Chilton and they could have both had a shot this year with a better car

I agree with you and everyone else who feels that way.

The Honda drivers in general have been somewhat disappointing this year, with the possible exception of Cammish and more recently Hill, though Cook has had more than his fair share of bad luck.

[Alfisti]

Originally Posted by porsche962fan

and it's amaizing that now Olie Jackson is firmly on the pace, Butcher was from the beginning, meanwhile Neate in same car hangs around at the bang , speakes volumes

meawhile congrats to Jess HAWKINS , she actually outscored Jade Edwards in Jack Sears Trophy, poor Bobby Thomson but he still has chances to clinch it

In fairness to Neate we seem to have reverted to the new calm driving sensibly and knowing his limits Andy Neate.

Hope his head is in a better place and stays there!

[Jay87]

Originally Posted by Nononsensecapeesh

I agree with you and everyone else who feels that way.

The Honda drivers in general have been somewhat disappointing this year, with the possible exception of Cammish and more recently Hill, though Cook has had more than his fair share of bad luck.

A lot of bad luck with both incidents and reliability for both cook and hill but that has enabled them both to carry no weight and look fast. Seems apart from cammish none of them can carry weight and still be quick enough to compete

[Craner Curves]

Such an underwhelming end of a touring car career for Matt Neal if it is the end.

[Nononsensecapeesh]

Originally Posted by Jay87

A lot of bad luck with both incidents and reliability for both cook and hill but that has enabled them both to carry no weight and look fast. Seems apart from cammish none of them can carry weight and still be quick enough to compete

That is true. I certainly would have expected more winners though, we've only had 9, the lowest since 2013.

Hope the Dynamics Hondas can pull something out of the bag at Brands, especially Neal, he's clearly desperate for one last win if his manoeuvre on Cook at Croft was anything to go by.

[sceptic]

Originally Posted by Jay87

Btc have definitely been a massive disappointment, cook has shown occasional pace with no weight in it but apart from that they are nowhere near. Let down by reliability a lot as well which is a shame because I rate both cook and Chilton and they could have both had a shot this year with a better car

Chilton is quietly racking up points by finishing consistently.

Snetterton was a disaster for him, but before this weekend he'd only failed to score in one race.

And he's still ahead of Cook.

[porsche962fan]

must be frustrating for him seeing the team he left last year doing much better than his current team

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by porsche962fan

must be frustrating for him seeing the team he left last year doing much better than his current team

Are they really though - there is only 21 points between the two teams in the standings, and most of that is the difference between Butcher's scores and his own.

I would say that it is Butcher who is doing much better than he is at the moment - not the teams. Compare Crees and Neate in the Jack Sears and it looks like the other way round in terms of which team is doing better....